Cistern and tank cleaner



(No Model.)

B. B. SGUDDER.

GISTERN AND TANK CLEANER.

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RAYMOND B. SOUDDER, OF NE\ V ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

CISTERN AND TANK CLEANER.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,180, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed October 3, 1854. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Rlinronn B. ScUDDnR, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oistern and Tank Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for removing sediment from cisterns, tanks, &c., especially cisterns or water-tanks placed above the surface of the ground, or other tanks or receptacles containing various liquids from which sediment, after collecting in thick quantities on the bottom of the receptacle, requires to be removed. As in other cistern and tank cleaners using a scraper, I employ the super incumbent pressure of the water or liquid in the cistern or tank for driving out the sediment through the cleaner; but my apparatus, essentially, differs from snch cleaners as here tofore constructed and operating, and has a fixed position of rotation within the tank or cistern, besides embracing various novel features or details, which contribute materially to the efficiency of theappa *atus, substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a horizontal section of a cistern with a cleaning apparatus embodying my invention therein. Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same, showing the lower portion of the cistern; Fig. 3, a partly sectional longitudinal view of one of the cleaning-arms of the apparatus in part; and Fig. at, a transverse section on the line x a; in Fig. 3.

A indicates the cistern or tank, and b the bottom thereof.

The cleaning apparatus, which has a fixed position of rotation over the cistern-bottom and discharges the sediment through said bottom, consists in part of a hollow hub or head, B, and a series of four or any other number of tubular arms, 0, radiating or branching thercfrom for action over the bottom of the cistern. The head 13 may be made of castiron, and the arms 0 of gas-pipe sections a c, united by couplings (2, having downwardly-projecting nozzles. Said nozzle-couplin gs are reducing ones,

the sediment which is forced by the superiu- I cumbent pressure of the water or liquid in the cistern through the nozzlecouplings and outer bent end of the outermost pipe-section, to and through the several pipe-sections c 0 into the hollow hub or head B, from whence the sediment passes off and is washed out by a lower discharge-pipe, D, arranged to pass through the bottom ofthe cistern. This discharge-pipe D, which also constitutes a tubular revolving shaft to the cleaner, is arranged to work through a bearing in the bottom of the cistern formed by two flanged short tubes, 0 c, occupying reverse positions on opposite sides of the cistern bottom and bolted together, and the up per one of which is fitted to receive upon it the hollow hub or head B, and either with or without the aid of packing to form a watertight joint therewith, or nearly so, to avoid leakage. Said pipe D may be connected with the hollow hub or head B by being screwed into it, or otherwise, and should be fitted be low with a stop-cock, f, to shut off escape of water from the cistern when not working the cleaner. When the water and sediment escaping through said pipe D are to be passed off to one side of the eistern,instead of directly beneath it, the lower end of such pipe may be connected, with provision for rotating the pipe, by a coupling with an elbow or branchpipe. The cleaner may be rotated over the bottom of the cistern, either directly by means of a lever secured to the pipe I), or, where such is not convenient, by bevel-gearsg ,and a shaft, h, fitted with a crank or handle, 1', or by any other suitable means. The arms O are successively of different lengths, and the T or nozzle-couplings 11 are graduated or arranged so that each coupling or nozzle thereof will, in the rotation of the cleaner, cover or work over its own territory on the bottom of the cistern; or, in other words, so that the nozzles of the several arms 0 will move in different paths of rotation to the nozzles of the other arms over the bottom of the cistern, thus effectually distributing the nozzle exposure over the bottom surface of the cistern. Further more, said arms are fitted on their under sides with a series of scrapers, E, of any suitable shape and material. T scra ers, Z which serve to force the sediment on the bottom of the cistern to the arms 0 or nozzles of the couplingszd, are pivoted at their one' end each to a coupling, and, extending longitudinally relatively to said arms, work freely at their opposite ends between pins or stops 70,

IO thus providing for their automatic adjustment when rotating the cleaner in opposite directions to scrape the sediment toward the line of each nozzle-opening, and so that the suction or passage of the water, &c., through the I 5 nozzles, caused by the superincumbent pressure of the water or liquid in the cistern,will force the sediment into the tubular arms 0. These scrapers E, by their arrangement,cover the remainder of the cisterirbottom not swept or covered by the nozzles, whereby the whole cistern-bottom surface is acted upon by the rotating cleaner.

If desired, the scrapers may be made to cover more or less surface relatively to the amount of cistern-bottom surface covered by the nozzles. In some cases the scrapers might be wholly dispensed with and the nozzles for the escape of the sediment be of flaring or elongated construction instead.

0 A cistern or tank may be cleaned by this apparatus with comparatively very little waste of the Water or liquid in the tank and with very little trouble.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for removing sediment from the bottoms of cisterns, tanks, &c., the combination, with the cistern or tank, of a many-armed cleaner arranged for rotation in a fixed or positive manner over the bottom of the cistern or tank and provided with a series of under nozzles or inlets in the arms of the cleaner, and a hollow hub or central outlet with tubularextension through the bottom of the cistern for escape of the sediment as induced by the superincumbent pressure of the Water or liquid in the cistern or tank, substantially as specified.

5 2. In an apparatus for cleaning cisterns,

tanks, &c., the combination, in a rotary cleaner for operation over the bottom of the cistern or tank, of a discharging hollow hub or head with tubular extension arranged to pass out through the bottom of'the cistern or tank, and a series of tubular arms connected with said hub of increasing area in an inward direction and provided with nozzles or openings on their under sides, essentially as described.

3. In an apparatus for cleaning cisterns, tanks, &c.,the combination, in a rotary cleaner for operation over the bottom of the cistern or tank, of a discharging hollow hub or head with tubular extension arranged to pass out through the bottom of the cistern or tank, and a series of tubular arms connected with'said hub and provided with nozzles or openings on their under sides arranged at different distances from the hub in each arm as compared with the nozzles oropeningsin the other arms, essentially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. In a rotary cleaner for cisterns, tanks, &c., the combination, with a series of receiving-arms, G, for the sediment, nozzle or inlets on the under sides of said arms, and a hollow hub or head, B, with tubular lower extension, D, of the pivoted scrapers E, for operation in relation with said nozzles, substantially as specified.

5. In a rotary cleaner for cisterns, tanks, 850., the arms 0 of the cleaner constructed of a series of pipe-sections, c c, of diminishing area in an outward direction successively, and reducing-couplings (1, having nozzles on their under sides, essentially as described.

'6. In a rotary cleaner for cisterns, tanks, &c., the combination of the hollow hub or head B with its lower tubular discharge-extension, D, the arms 0 of Varying lengths and of increasing area in an inward direction, the nozzle-couplings d, and the pivoted scrapers E, for operation in relation with the bottom of a cistern or tank, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

RAYMOND B. SCUDDER.

\Vitnesses:

A. GREGORY, O. SEnGwIoK. 

